Speaking of which, here’s the Bon Vivants writing a letter to an Aspiring Bartender and doling out lots of wisdom for the up-and-comers: “There is so much to learn all of a sudden. Speyside vs. Islay, Highland/Lowland Tequila, Gin as opposed to all the other botanical driven juniper spirits that are “Gin.” You don’t want to wait tables anymore. Now you want to be the rock star, shot caller, big baller holding court behind the stick. How do you get there? SLOWLY… ” [Shake Stir]

From the national scene:

North Carolina ordered to pay over $30,000 for “illegally playing” four unlicensed songs. Ridiculous. [Techdirt]

Nathan Myhrvold explores Texas’ cult of barbecue and pens a piece about it: “The Michelin guide in France rates restaurants in stars — three stars are “worth a journey,” two are “worth a detour.” By that standard, the barbecue I had in Lockhart and in Lexington was three-star — worth the journey.” [Business Week]